According to PA, Scanlan said that he will "miss" Brendan, commenting: "Two and a half years I've spent immersed in Brendan Brady. I spend more time with Brendan Brady than I do with Emmett - it's six days a week, 14 hours a day so when I get home to be Emmett I'm usually slapping on a box set and falling asleep.

"But of course I'm going to miss him - he's a touchy, unpredictable fruitcake. It's hard to let go of characters you've invested in so much."

He also revealed that while it is the "right time" to leve the soap, he will remain a fan. "I'll have [Hollyoaks] on Sky Plus because I've got a lot of friends that are about to hit some storylines that are dark, properly dark. The show no doubt is going to keep getting stronger and stronger," he said.

Scanlan promised that fans will not be disappointed with Brendan's final storyline, which he described as "epic".